Self-lubricating structure for use in an exerciser

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a self-lubricating structure, particularly for use in a treadmill. The structure is provided with reservoirs formed in the front and rear rollers which actuate a running endless belt, in which the reservoirs are filled with lubricant, such as silicon oil. A porous nozzle is formed in an opening on a top of each of the reservoirs, such that the silicon oil in the reservoirs is dripped from the nozzle, by means of the eccentric force generated by rotation of the rollers, to lubricate the running endless belt in order to facilitate the operation of the treadmill.

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] Not Applicable

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

[0002] Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONS

[0003] 1. Field of the Invention

[0004] The present invention relates to a self-lubricating structure, particular to a self-lubricating structure for use in a treadmill.

[0005] 2. Descriptions of the Related Art

[0006] In a conventional exerciser, particularly an electric treadmill which has a running endless belt driven by rotation of rollers for a user to run on the belt for exercising purpose, the transmission motor driving the rollers bears an overload in electric current after the use for a period of time. This phenomenon is harmful to the function of the transmission motor and indirectly reduces the service life of the treadmill.

[0007] The primary reason why the transmission motor bears an increasing current load along with the time as it is used resides in the wax which accumulates between the endless belt and the rollers over a long period of time. However, a periodical injection of solid wax onto the running endless belt and the support running board provided within the space defined by the endless belt is the only way to maintain the lubrication between the endless belt and the support running board. The termination or reduction of the injection of the solid wax to avoid wax accumulation, the lubricating effect between the endless belt and the support running board will be significantly affected. This results in the difficulty in the user's exercising on the treadmill, and results in the increase in the wear of the related parts of the overall electric treadmill. Accordingly, the lubrication mechanism between the endless belt and the support running board is an indispensable factor supporting the usage of the treadmill and affecting the consumer's judgment of the product quality when purchasing the treadmill.

[0008] Accordingly, to create one or more measures to solve the above-mentioned problems in connection with the lubrication between the endless belt and the support running board of a treadmill, and to reduce manufacturing and assembling cost as well as increase the product reliability, are an important object in the exercising field.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0009] The primary object of this invention is to provide a self-lubricating structure for use in an exerciser, in which the exerciser includes at least one rolling unit and an endless belt, wherein the at least one rolling unit has a periphery surface, and the endless belt has an inner surface acting an endless movement along the periphery surface of the at least one rolling unit. The self-lubricating structure includes at lease one reservoir disposed on at least a portion of the periphery surface of the at least one rolling unit, wherein the at least one reservoir has at least one pore and is loaded with lubricant. The eccentric force resulting from the rotation of the at least one rolling unit makes the lubricant received within the reservoir flow onto the inner surface of the endless belt through the at least one pore.

[0010] The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a self-lubricating structure for use in an exerciser. The exerciser is provided with at least one reservoir formed in the rolling unit thereof, with the reservoir being filled with lubricant, such as silicon oil. When the rolling unit rotates, the lubricant can be dripped out of the reservoir of the rolling unit by means of the eccentric force due to the rotation, thereby the endless belt of the exerciser and other peripherals can be well lubricated.

[0011] Another object of this invention is to provide a self-lubricating structure for use in an exerciser. The automatic supplement of the liquid lubricant makes the lubricating operation of the endless and other peripherals durable and smooth. And the dripped liquid lubricant continues to vaporize and therefore no residue lubricant exists. This causes no extra mechanical and current loads on any other mechanism and electric parts.

[0012] Yet a further object of this invention is to provide a self-lubricating structure for use in an exerciser. The automatic supplement of the liquid lubricant makes it unnecessary to provide related after-sale service which periodically offers solid wax to ensure the lubrication quality or to provide maintenance person to deal with the problem of solid wax residue and blockage. This significantly reduces maintenance cost after sale.

[0013] The detailed technology and preferred embodiments implemented for the subject invention are described in the following paragraphs accompanying the appended drawings for people skilled in this field to well appreciate the features of the claimed invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a treadmill;

[0015]FIG. 2 is a cross-section view showing the lubricating structure between the rollers and the running endless belt according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; and

[0016]FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of FIG. 2 in connection with the related structure showing the lubricant being dripped out.

DETAILED DESCRIPTIONS OF THE INVENTION

[0017]FIG. 1 is a treadmill, which is only for illustrative purpose but not limited to the application of the claimed invention.

[0018] Preferably, the treadmill 1 comprises a front end 11, a rear end 12, two rollers 20, 30 serving as the rolling unit as set forth in the claims, and a running endless belt 40, wherein the rollers 20, 30 are disposed at the front end 11 and the rear end 12, respectively.

[0019] With reference to FIG. 2, each roller (taking the roller 30 disposed at the rear end 12 of the treadmill 1 as an illustrative example) includes a periphery surface 31. The endless belt 40 includes an inner surface 41. The inner surface 41 of the endless belt 40 proceeds to an endless movement along the periphery surface 31 of the roller 30. Preferably, the endless belt 40 is adapted to simultaneously be disposed on to the periphery surfaces of the two rollers 20, 30, such that the inner surface 41 of the endless belt 40 is in contact with the periphery surfaces of the rollers 20, 30, thereby the two rollers 20, 30 drive the belt 40 to proceed to the endless movement.

[0020] A self-lubricating structure 50 includes at least one oil reservoir disposed along at least a portion of the periphery of each roller. Preferably, the self-lubricating structure 50 includes two symmetric annular reservoirs 51 disposed on the rollers 20, 30, or one of them. Taking the roller 30 disposed at the rear end 12 of the treadmill 1 as example, each reservoir 51 is radially and inwardly placed on the periphery surface 31 of the roller 30. The reservoir 51 has at least one pore (not shown) and is loaded with liquid lubricant 60. The eccentric force resulting from rotation of the roller 30 makes it possible to have the lubricant 60 flow out from the reservoir 51 through the at lease one pore to the inner surface 41 of the endless belt 40.

[0021]FIG. 3 shows a preferred embodiment of the structural arrangement between the endless belt 40 and the annular oil reservoir 51 of the lubricating structure 50. The reservoir 51 includes a top wall 511, a bottom wall 512 and two opposing sidewalls 513, which define a receiving chamber in which the liquid lubricant 60 is received. The reservoir 51 preferably further comprises an aluminum oil receiving cup 52 disposed along the two side walls 513 and the bottom wall 512 to receive the liquid lubricant 60 in order to ensure that the liquid lubricant 60, such as silicon oil, can be reserved therein without affecting or corroding the material of the roller 30.

[0022] In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the top wall 511 of each reservoir 51 is continuously defined by the periphery surface 31 of the roller 30. Each reservoir 51 has at least one oil-dripping nozzle 53 which is made of porous material (such as copper metallurgical material) defining a plurality of pores. The top wall 511 of each reservoir 51 is provided with at least one opening 54 to receive and seal the at least one oil dripping nozzle 53. When each roller 30 rotates, the liquid lubricant 60 in the reservoir 51 can be dripped out of the nozzle 53 through the plurality of the pores by means of the eccentric force due to the rotation. This therefore causes necessary lubrication, without any residue burden, on the inner surface 41 of the endless belt 40 and other peripherals, such as the support running plate 70.

[0023] The aforesaid embodiment only provides an example that the self-lubricating structure 50 is disposed onto the roller 30 at the rear end 12 of the treadmill 1, and two axially symmetric reservoirs 51 are radially and continuously formed along the periphery surface 31 of the roller 30 to define annular configuration. A further single porous oil-dripping nozzle 53 is sealed on the opening 54 of each reservoir 51 so as to achieve the oil dripping purpose. It should be understood that persons skilled in this field are able to make modification and variations without departing from the technical concept of the claimed invention. By way of example, persons skilled in the field can alter the configuration, arrangement and amount of the reservoir 51, and/or change the material or amount of the oil cup 52 and the oil-dripping nozzle 53, and even apply such technology to other exercisers having an endless belt in operational association with a rolling unit to accomplish analogous effects. However, such alternatives and modifications shall be included in the scope of the claims as set forth below. 

1. A self-lubricating structure for use in an exerciser, the exerciser including at least one rolling unit and an endless belt, the at least one rolling unit having a periphery surface, the endless belt has an inner surface, the inner surface of the endless belt proceeding to an endless movement along the periphery surface of the at least one rolling unit; the self-lubricating structure having at least one reservoir, disposed on at least one portion of the periphery surface of the at least one rolling unit, wherein the at least one reservoir has at least one pore which is filled with a liquid lubricant, and the liquid lubricant is adapted to flow out onto the inner surface of the endless belt through the at least one pore by means of an eccentric force resulting from rotation of the at least one rolling unit.
 2. The self-lubricating structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the exerciser is a treadmill.
 3. The self-lubricating structure as claimed in claim 2, wherein the treadmill has a front end, a rear end and two rolling units, the rolling units are rollers which are disposed at the front end and the rear end of the treadmill, respectively, the endless belt is adapted to disposed over the periphery surfaces of the rollers such that the inner surface of the endless belt is in contact with the periphery surfaces of the rollers and proceeds to an endless movement driven by the two rollers.
 4. The self-lubricating structure as claimed in claim 3, wherein each of the rollers is provided with two symmetric annular reservoirs, each of which is radially and inwardly formed along the periphery of the roller.
 5. The self-lubricating structure as claimed in claim 4, wherein each of the reservoir has a top wall, a bottom wall and two opposing side walls, in which the top wall, bottom and side walls define a receiving chamber to receive the liquid lubricant.
 6. The self-lubricating structure as claimed in claim 5, wherein each of the reservoirs further comprises an oil cup disposed along the two sidewalls and the bottom wall, and the liquid lubricant is received in the oil cup.
 7. The self-lubricating structure as claimed in claim 6, wherein the oil cup is made of aluminum material.
 8. The self-lubricating structure as claimed in claim 6, wherein the liquid lubricant is silicon oil.
 9. The self-lubricating structure as claimed in claim 6, wherein the top wall of the each of the reservoirs is continuously defined by the periphery surface of each of the rollers, and the at least one pore is formed on the periphery surface of each of the rollers.
 10. The self-lubricating structure as claimed in claim 9, wherein each of the reservoirs includes at least one oil dripping nozzle and a plurality of pores, in which the at least one nozzle is made of porous material in order to define the plurality of the pores; and wherein each of the reservoirs is provided with at least one opening formed on top wall thereof, and the at least one oil dripping nozzle is sealed over the at least one opening, thereby when each of the rollers rotates, the liquid lubricant received in each of the reservoirs is able to flow out through the plurality of the pores of the at least one oil dripping nozzle by means of the eccentric force.
 11. The self-lubricating structure as claimed in claim 10, wherein the at least one oil dripping nozzle is a copper metallurgical nozzle. 